Ever feel your sleeping bag needs a boost? A liner can add warmth and keep your bag clean. NEMO’s Tracer Blaze liner is made with recycled materials and treats odors. It’s designed for NEMO spoon-shaped bags but works in others too. We’ll explore how warm and comfy it is, how easy it is to use, and if it’s worth the price tag.
Highlights
Material: THERMOLITE® EcoMade fabric (100% recycled yarns)
Weight: Regular: 12.6 oz / 356 g, Long: 13.6 oz / 386 g
Dimensions: Regular: 30 x 82 in / 75 x 208 cm, Long: 31 x 86 in / 77 x 218 cm
Packed size: 7.0 x 3.0 x 3.0 in / 18 x 8 x 8 cm
Shape: Spoon-shaped (optimized for NEMO Ultralight Spoon™ bags)
Features: Polygiene® odor control, hardware-free design
Warranty: NEMO Lifetime Warranty
Features
Here is what this liner offers:
Comfort
The Tracer Blaze prioritizes comfort on your adventure. Made with super soft THERMOLITE® EcoMade fabric, it feels great next to your skin. Plus, the unique shape mimics NEMO’s Ultralight Spoon™ sleeping bags, ensuring a snug and comfy fit that cradles your body.
This liner is designed to make getting into your sleeping bag easier. There’s no hardware to fiddle with, so you can wiggle in and out freely. However, some users with spoon-shaped bags found it a bit challenging to get situated due to the close fit.
Cleanliness
The Tracer Blaze is a lifesaver for keeping your sleeping bag clean. It acts as a barrier, trapping sweat and body oils that would normally stain your bag. This liner is also treated with Polygiene® odor control. This means you can extend washes, reducing wear and tear on your sleeping bag and helping the environment by using less water and detergent. The Polygiene® treatment is also bluesign® approved, so it’s safe for you and the planet.
Versatility
The Tracer Blaze isn’t just for NEMO spoon bags. The liner’s design allows it to fit comfortably inside a variety of sleeping bag shapes, from classic rectangles to mummy styles. This versatility makes it a great option for backpackers who use different sleeping bag types.
Other Features
The Tracer Blaze is built to be lightweight and packable. It stuffs down into a tiny sack, adding minimal weight or bulk to your pack. Plus, it’s covered by NEMO’s lifetime warranty, so you can buy with confidence knowing it’s built to last.
Performance
Here’s what to expect from this liner on the trail:
Warmth
The NEMO Tracer Blaze promises to add warmth to your sleeping bag system. While users found it offered a slight warmth boost, opinions differed on how significant it was. Some felt it performed well for its weight, while others thought it wasn’t as warm as expected. It’s important to consider your individual needs and the temperature rating of your sleeping bag when evaluating how much extra warmth the liner will provide.
Comfort and Fit (continued)
The Tracer Blaze’s close fit, designed to match NEMO’s spoon-shaped bags, can be a double-edged sword. Some users loved the snug feel, but others found it constricting, especially when getting in and out of the liner. A user tip suggests getting into the liner first, then wriggling into your sleeping bag for a smoother experience.
Ease of Use and Weight
The Tracer Blaze is generally easy to use. It’s hardware-free and packs down small, making it convenient to take on backpacking trips. At 12.6 oz, it falls right in the middleweight range for sleeping bag liners. There are lighter options like silk liners, but they offer less warmth. Heavier fleece liners provide more warmth but are bulkier.
Eco-Friendliness
This liner is quite eco-friendly, here’s how:
Eco-Conscious Construction
The NEMO Tracer Blaze takes steps to minimize its environmental impact. The key player here is the THERMOLITE® EcoMade fabric. This material is made from 100% recycled fibers, giving new life to waste materials. By choosing recycled materials, NEMO helps reduce reliance on virgin plastics and lowers its overall environmental footprint.
Clean Benefits, Less Waste
The Polygiene® odor control treatment in the Tracer Blaze keeps you fresh on the trail and reduces washing frequency. This translates to less water, energy, and detergent used for cleaning. Fewer washes also mean less wear and tear on your sleeping bag, extending its lifespan and keeping used gear out of landfills.
Bluesign® Approved
The Polygiene® treatment used in the Tracer Blaze goes beyond odor control. It’s also bluesign® approved. This certification means the treatment meets strict environmental standards throughout its lifecycle. By choosing a bluesign® approved product, you can be confident you’re making a choice that’s better for the planet.
Price and Value
The NEMO Tracer Blaze sits in the middle range price-wise compared to similar sleeping bag liners. Users were divided on whether it offered good value for money. Some appreciated the comfortable, spoon-shaped fit and eco-friendly materials, feeling the price was fair.
However, others felt the warmth boost wasn’t significant enough for the cost. They pointed to similar weight liners offering more warmth or lighter options for a lower price. Ultimately, the value of the Tracer Blaze depends on your priorities. If a comfortable, spoon-shaped liner made with recycled materials is important, it might be worth the investment. If strict warmth-to-weight ratio is your main concern, you might consider other options.
What I like about this liner
- Comfort: Soft THERMOLITE® EcoMade fabric, snug fit for NEMO spoon bags.
- Cleanliness: Protects sleeping bag from sweat and oils, Polygiene® odor control reduces washing.
- Versatility: Fits various sleeping bag shapes (rectangle, mummy).
- Other features: Lightweight, packable, hardware-free, lifetime warranty.
- Eco-friendly: Made with recycled materials, bluesign® approved odor control.
What I don’t like about this liner
- Warmth: Users have mixed reviews on how much warmth it adds.
- Comfort (spoon bags): Snug fit can feel constricting, getting in/out tricky.
- Price: Not the cheapest option, value depends on priorities.
Final Verdict
The verdict on the NEMO Tracer Blaze sleeping bag liner is mixed. It depends on your priorities.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Comfort: Wins for softness and a great fit for NEMO spoon bags, but some find it constricting.
- Warmth: Adds some warmth, but not as significant as some users expected.
- Cleanliness and Eco-friendliness: Wins big here with recycled materials, odor control reducing washes, and bluesign® approval.
- Price and Value: Middle-range price, so value depends on what matters most to you.
If you prioritize comfort, eco-friendliness, and a perfect fit for your NEMO spoon bag, the Tracer Blaze might be worth it. If pure warmth-to-weight ratio is key, consider other options.
